Something from another board caught my eye.
Is cantering on the road as bad as it's painted?
We all (those of us of a certain age!!) were brought up with "grip with your knees" "feed your horse oats" "never canter on the roads"
Now cantering on the roads is bad practice as they can be darned slippery, BUT is it the slipping hazard or the hardness that is the REAL underlying issue?
I know horses that have had concussion laminitis from trotting on the roads for long distances, and I have known hunters who hunt twice a week spent all day cantering on the roads with no ill effect who live long , sound useful lives.
Is a steady, balanced canter (not deliberate or intentional) on the road less or more damaging that a stonking trot??
My reasoning is that both have a moment of suspension and a horse lands on his feet in diagonal pairs in trot at each stride, ....but he also lands on his feet from a moment of suspension in canter. But to my mind canter is a more measured, balanced gait. (unless you have a Fjord!! )
Come on everyone, stick that in your toaster and see what pops up! Is it an old wives tail or is there real truth in it?
Is cantering on the road as bad as it's painted?
We all (those of us of a certain age!!) were brought up with "grip with your knees" "feed your horse oats" "never canter on the roads"
Now cantering on the roads is bad practice as they can be darned slippery, BUT is it the slipping hazard or the hardness that is the REAL underlying issue?
I know horses that have had concussion laminitis from trotting on the roads for long distances, and I have known hunters who hunt twice a week spent all day cantering on the roads with no ill effect who live long , sound useful lives.
Is a steady, balanced canter (not deliberate or intentional) on the road less or more damaging that a stonking trot??
My reasoning is that both have a moment of suspension and a horse lands on his feet in diagonal pairs in trot at each stride, ....but he also lands on his feet from a moment of suspension in canter. But to my mind canter is a more measured, balanced gait. (unless you have a Fjord!! )
Come on everyone, stick that in your toaster and see what pops up! Is it an old wives tail or is there real truth in it?